i6o British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



Ditmber, strongly pyriform, and placed (as is usual amongst the Limicolse) with 

 points inward, are pale drab, or greenish-drab, in ground-colour, spotted and 

 blotched with neutral tint and dark sepia brown, especially at the larger end. 

 They measure if to 2tV inches in length, by a little over i^ in breadth. The 

 sitting bird lies very close, and can almost be touched before rising; after 

 hatching, the parents lead the young to some bare grassy swamp, and are very 

 vociferous if man approaches, especially if accompanied by a dog, which, no 

 doubt, they take for that quadruped so universally detested in the north, the 

 Arctic fox. 



The Greenshank is, as a rule, one of the wariest of birds, frequenting marshes 

 and stretches of brackish water near the sea, but leaving them for the tidal mud 

 flats when the state of the ebb permits. It can be recognized a long way off by 

 its erect carriage, by the general "mealiness" of the upper parts, and by the "tip 

 tilted" bill. It is a very difficult bird to get within shot of, as it is remarkably 

 watchful, and shews an instinctive avoidance of the neighbourhood of anything 

 that can afford the least cover to a man. I do not think that I have ever stalked 

 one successfully, though I have not found it very difficult to call and shoot them 

 overhead ; very careful concealment, however, is necessary to accomplish this, and 

 it is necessary to keep absolutely motionless till the bird is within shot — so many 

 people spoil the effect of previous carefulness by beginning to wag their heads 

 about in the excitement of anticipation, and to flash heliographic signals with their 

 gun barrels, the moment they see anything approaching. 



The call of the Greenshank is in tone like that of the Redshank, but consists 

 of a loud clear monosyllabic whistle, thrice or four times repeated ; when surprised 

 (which does not often happen) it yelps out like a Green Sandpiper, and every 

 bird within ear-shot pays instant attention to its alarm. It is said to be a bird 

 of palatable flesh, but I have no experience of it from this point of view. Usually 

 met with singly, or in pairs, seldom are more than half a dozen seen together; 

 in this latter case they will probably be young birds of the year in August. The 

 Greenshank flies very rapidly, and sometimes twists like a Snipe. When feed- 

 ing, the Greenshauk never seems to be still for a moment, but displays an 

 incessant restless activity ; like the last species it can swim well on occasion, and 

 may often be seen feeding in water deep enough to reach almost to the tibio- 

 tarsal joint ; in all its ways it shews itself a bright keen-witted vivacious creature. 

 Its food is various : annelids, Crustacea, beetles, flies, are its staple provender, 

 but fish-fry, tadpoles, and even frogs, are mentioned, and one I shot had been 

 making an abundant meal on crane-flies (daddy-long-legs). In the breeding 

 season, in the far North, it is universally reported to be addicted to perching in 



